Maria†Holic Alive – 06
Kanako? Who?
Kind of a late post this week (you can blame math diploma prep classes for that) but anyways, more new characters in Maria Holic this week (or to be more accurate, one new character and an old crossdressing one)! Also, the main character is absent in this episode. Those of you who enjoy the yuri in Maria Holic will be disappointed because this week has none.
Anyways, this time Maria Holic goes back to the week Kanako was missing and explains all the changes the school went through while she was away. Matsurika opens by texting her mother and father back home and introducing the show as Matsurika Holic… Well I guess they both start with ‘M’.
Yet again, we have another new (?) opening song.
Well played SHAFT, well played.
We see the birth of The Dawn of Japan card game that screwed Kanako over in the last episode. Surprisingly it is Kumagai, the homeroom teacher for Kanako’s class (and apparently a history fanatic), is the one who originally came up with the idea. Not so surprisingly, it’s Mariya who screwed Kanako over by suggesting to mass produce the cards (and then later creating a tournament for it).
I actually caught the Sengoku Basara reference here. Hell will be freezing over any moment now.
Around the same time, Kanako’s friends are in the classroom and note that Kanako will be absent for a week. To brighten things up Sachi brings out a flower and places it on Kanako’s desk. Yuzulu begins to protest, but the other two ignore her and with the addition of a framed picture of her, they make it look more and more like Kanako has died. Yuzulu suggests that they try a different approach. Also, later that night, we see how The Dawn of Japan game has grown in popularity.
Though how Yonakuni manages to hold up his cards, I will never know.
A day later, Ryuken is in the locker rooms sporting a pin decorated by Shiki (the student council president). When Honoka’s groupies comment on it, Ryuken comments that she wishes that she had a more popular hairstyle. At that moment, Honoka’s career as a hair stylist is born.
A couple days before Kanako returns, Father Kanae walks past a classroom to witness Shiki put the finishing touches on Kanako’s newly decorated desk. Ignoring the decorations and sparkles completely, Kanae overhears that there was a flower and a picture frame on Kanako’s desk before. Assuming the worst, he stalks off.
Side effects of the desk may include hallucinations and/or seizures . And apparently it glows.
After some Mariya fanservice, Father Kanae approaches Matsurika and Mariya asking about Kanako. To further the misunderstanding, Matsurika announces that Kanako has ‘departed’. The rest of the conversation goes downhill from there and a shaken Father Kanae leaves the conversation convinced that Kanako has committed suicide from stress because of exams. Before being left by Mariya, he realises that Kanako’s death has brought a new opportunity to comfort a saddened Mariya and Matsurika.
He travels over to their home only to fall in a pit trap set by Rindou. After apparently taking a bath (or at least changing out of his clothing), he ends up sitting on a couch in a bathrobe. Shizu then explains to him that Mariya is at club practice and will not be home until later.
One of my friends pointed out that the ‘R’ looks like the Team Rocket symbol. NOW I CAN’T UN-SEE IT.
Its then that Father Kanae notices how feminine and similar to Mariya Shizu is. Now, I’ve been trying to avoid making creepy priest jokes, but this show is making it extremely difficult. Father Kanae then starts blushing at Shizu’s bishonen-ness. Suddenly realising that Shizu is male (…or at least he’s supposed to be), Father Kanae quickly leaves the house.
He runs into Mariya and Matsurika, but he realises that in an indirect way, he was happy for Kanako’s departure and declares that he does not have the right to stare at them. Before Mariya has the time to ask why he is wandering around in a bathrobe at night, Father Kanae wanders off back to the school.
This is completely unrelated to the episode, but I love how they animate the fountain here.
Later, he runs into Natsuru (vice president for the student council). Disturbed by the fact that Kanae is walking around in only a bathrobe late at night, she runs away. However, he pretty much ignores her uneasiness and continues down the hallway.
At last, Kanako returns and she meets with a very stunned Kanae in a school hallway. Whether he squeaks like a girl because she’s actually alive or if it’s because of her new hairstyle, we never find out because it ends there with the credits.
Ending thoughts:
…So was this filler or not? Having not read the manga, I have no idea if this was actually a chapter or not, but I guess the most important thing was that it was entertaining. It was interesting seeing the cause and effect for all the changes that happened last week. Also, with Kanako gone, we got to see more of Kanae’s delusional side. It’s funny how similar the two are (both in the fact that they are usually the comic relief and also in their obsessions). However, the times where Kanae ends up as comic relief are due to him over thinking things, Kanako is normally comic relief out of stupidity. But more importantly:
Shizu and Rindou have finally appeared!
And wow, Shizu is THE epitome of a bishounen (…or would that be a bishoujo? Shouta? I don’t even know at this point). It’s like they weren’t even trying to pass her off as male. Mainly I’m referring to how female Shizu’s voice sounded here. Sure, the girly sounding voice would be okay for a younger male character but for a high school aged character? It just doesn’t work. In any case, hopefully it was just a one scene thing to help fuel Kanae’s delusions. Mariya makes an extremely convincing crossdresser so one would only hope that his twin would also be one. It’s a shame that they didn’t have much screen time, but Maria Holic has a habit of introducing characters and giving them larger parts later on, so hopefully they appear more in the future.
Oh yeah, when I was browsing around, I found this song. That’s right. The ending dates back to 1972.
Next time on Matsurika Holic:
…I give up. Someone can point out what the heck the parody here was if they want, seeing how I have no clue.
About Karakuri
University student and the one at Metanorn who's known for wearing glasses. Likes blood, insanity and plot twists, but also plays otome games and adores cute romance anime. It balances out... somehow.
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 75 comments
OMG, How did U find that song!! O_O
She dances like Jim Carrey on “The Mask” xD
…..
I love Matsurika’s Brother ♥
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Yeah! I’m liking Rindou too (in all of the 5 lines of dialogue he had).
I found it by chance really. I was looking for the ending under it’s Japanese name and came across the video…. yeah those are some interesting dance moves.
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
loved this ep.
this why matsurika is my 2nd fave character, next to maria that is.
her brother is also making quite an impression on me.
I also find it quite interesting to see more of shizu’s way of handling it in the boys school. hope she lives up to her brothers reputation and I would love to see them compete in a school-related event.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
A school related event would be awesome! I’m also curious to see how Matsurika and Rindou would interact…
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
MATSURIKA HOLIC FEVERRR!!!
and Maria’s sister is like the cutest thing ever <3
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Yes, she really is. They should have more episodes like this! It’s not like theres any plot anyways xD
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Critique with 1024 comments
The R really does look like the Team Rocket symbol…
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
HA! I’m not alone!
POWUH: 400-499 with 489 comments
the opening song in this episode was EPIC. there needs to be a full downloadable version 2 it
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
I’m sure they’ll come out with one eventually (I’m searching now, but I can’t find the release dates anywhere)… It WAS epic though. Marina Inoue should sing in her Masurika voice more often.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
HAhahah I loved this episode! So random and crazy xDDD
That ending wow! Epic and the mask?! LOL so niceeee 😛
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 305 comments
I laughed so hard at Kanae XD But I wish they had used the lack of Kanako to give more Mariya screentime. He’s been neglected a lot. :<
Still, I loved this episode so much, especially the part where he thought Kanako was dead.